Mostly Serious New Year's Resolutions

Below the Belt: A Biweekly Column by NOW President Kim Gandy

January 10, 2006

Dear Activists,I can hardly believe it's the New Year already! (Do I say that every year?) And this year is extra-special—Happy Birthday to us, it's NOW's 40th!

I have a good feeling about 2006. Maybe it's just that it's an election year, and the fabled unity of the conservatives is melting away like snow in July—the blizzard of scandals, no doubt. How I do love to hear 'em bicker.

But we're not out of the Bushes yet... With Alito up before the Senate for confirmation this month and elections headed our way sooner than you'd think, this year will surely be no cakewalk. Luckily, I had enough cake over the holidays to last me a little while, and I'm ready to fight!

So I invite you to join me in greeting the New Year with the following feminist resolutions:

- I pledge to do my part to oppose the nomination of Samuel Alito the Supreme Court, for all the reasons given here and here. Even if I've already called my Senators, I pledge to go call 'em again now! I know this fight could decide women's reproductive rights for the next 40 years or longer, and I am committed to doing my part to stop Alito. (And in fact, if you have some time, we'd love to have you in D.C.! Find out more about joining our campaign in D.C.)

- I resolve not to be fooled by Sam Alito's evasion, obfuscation, and wiggle words (that's a legal term, for all of you non-lawyers out there ;>) and to focus on his very serious anti-woman ideology, even if it is really funny that his excuses sound a lot like "the dog ate my homework" The excuses? In today's hearing they went something like this: the computer forgot to remind me that I promised not to rule on Vanguard cases and I really don't remember being in that misogynistic club, but if I did it must have been about the ROTC and the military (sounds of patriotic music playing in the background).

- I will do everything I can to make sure Congress doesn't take women's rights lightly, and to remind our elected officials—especially the ones who claim to be "progressive"—that women's issues matter and women's votes count!

- I'll work with my local NOW chapter on whatever campaigns I can help with in my area, knowing that all across the country I will be joined by hundreds of thousands of feminists and progressive allies working to take back our country from the far Right! (Don't know your local chapter? Click here!)

- I pledge to speak out when anti-feminists in the media, government, or other institutions hit "below the belt" and try to move us backwards! Just last month, for instance, DISH Network pulled the plug on Lifetime TV and the Lifetime Movie channel. Join us in speaking out! Just to prove we can do it, how about our victory over the Department of Labor—we've just reversed their terrible decision to stop collecting data on women workers (Boo, hiss!) Thanks for joining me in telling them it is not okay to try to sweep gender disparities under the rug!

- I promise to speak out on women's health, like the conservatives' opposition to a new vaccine that could nearly wipe out cervical cancer, and the outrageous failure of the Food and Drug administration to protect women from Mentor Corp, a breast-implant manufacturer—while they're "protecting" us from access to emergency contraception, not to mention the endless assaults on abortion rights and access.

- I will not forget the criminally inadequate and negligent governmental response to Hurricane Katrina, nor will I let the country forget the lessons Katrina taught us about how our country is still ignoring deep-seated race and income inequities. George W. Bush's actions in cutting the Army Corps of Engineers levee-shoring budget, "reorganizing" FEMA to focus less on disaster management, and appointing a completely unqualified Director resulted in a deadly and disastrous governmental failure for the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

- I will remember those who have died, those who were displaced, those who were not allowed to cross the bridges to evacuate, and those who the Bush Administration tried to evict from their temporary housing right before the holidays. I pledge to raise my voice and demand that FEMA to stop delaying resources designated for the hurricane evacuees!

- I believe in our shared dream of a world free of racism, sexism, homophobia, and all the other forms of violence, oppression, and intimidation. I can see that world, can envision it, and I swear I will work towards it in 2006. The future belongs, Eleanor Roosevelt tells us, to those who believe in the power of their dreams.

- Above all, I resolve to NOT give in to apathy, to feelings of powerlessness, to a rising sense of depression over the current state of affairs. I know that the personal is political and all change is local, and I will work with my local NOW chapter and sister feminists to turn our country around.

And while we're at it, let's make sure to have fun too! Looking forward to working with you this year, and to seeing you on the front lines...

--Kim

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